Complaint Review: Fitness USA

Aware !! As a foreign student , you will never know how hard to cancel a membership until you acutally faced it. 3 years ago, I stumbled into a Fitness USA location pretty close to where i lived at the time, and the equipment seemed decent enough, so I decided to ask about how much it would cost to join.

The salesperson told me that they had a limited-time special offer - for students who had a check card, about to expired soon if I signed right now, I can get this great offer.I did ask him about what it would take to cancel it - since I was not sure if i am going to for a higher education at that time, and was told that it would be no problem and that i could cancel it any time. Yeah, right. Taking the salespersons word (a lesson I learn from this free country) for it, I went ahead and signed the contract.

I went to the gym for about 4 months or so and becuase of family emergency - I need to move back to my home country and didn't know if i am coming back or not. So, I went back to the center and told the sales person that i want to cancel it , since i am moving back. The sales person just throw me a form and told me that i will need a handwritten letter and this form. I filled up the form with handwritten letter and mailed it out with the copy of my ONE-WAY airticket as proof that i was planning to move back to my home country. Couple days later, I went back home with a thought that my membership would get cancelled for sure.

1 year later, i came back to US and move to another city. One day, I ran into my ex-roomate on the street and she told me that fitness USA didn't cancelled my membership and she called them and ask them why ? Their answer is "One-Way ticket" can't proof that i was planning to move back that time. What the FXXk is that ? They want me to mail them , one of my bill in english with english foreign address. I am a Chinese. What make they think a company in chnia will bill me in English ??

6 month ago , I moved back to San Francisco. The collection agent started to call me almost everyday and told me that it was not just a membership contract , it's acutally a loan !! A loan for what ?? For the service I never received ?? She told me that if i am not planning to pay for that she will call my family and friends. Or their company is going to sued me. Apparently there were only two clauses for getting out of the contract: death or dismemberment.

I already give up to arguing with them, since they already ruining my credit. This is the most vauleable lesson I learned in US. Don't trust the people in here. Make sure you read every fine print on your contract. Otherwise, you will end up like me -- someone call you all the time for the service you never received!!

Kelly
san rancisco, California
U.S.A.